A mostly low-lying country located in South Asia, Bangladesh is home to one of the largest deltas in
the world, formed by the dense network of the distributaries of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the
Meghna Rivers. The most damaging effects associated with climate change in Bangladesh are floods,
salinity intrusion and droughts that are found to drastically affect crop productivity almost every
year. Climate change induced challenges include: scarcity of fresh water due to less rain and higher
evapo-transpiration in the dry season; drainage congestion due to higher water levels as a result of
sea level rise; river bank erosion; frequent floods and prolonged and widespread drought; and wider
salinity in the surface, ground and soil in the coastal zone. The agricultural sector will also face
significant yield reduction, endangering food grain self-sufficiency. It was found that the
population living in the coastal area is more vulnerable than the population in other areas.

Timelines of the NAPA preparation process in Bangladesh

Funding for the preparation of the NAPA approved by the GEF

April 2003

GEF agency approval date

December 2003

NAPA preparation start

November 2004

Submission of the NAPA to the UNFCCC

November 2005

NAPA projects under implementation

Bangladesh listed 15 priority activities in its NAPA, and its first project, already under
implementation, is aimed at reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities to the impacts of
climate change induced risks in four upazilas (subdistricts) in the coastal districts of Barguna and
Patuakhali (western region), Bhola (central region), Noakhali (central region) and Chittagong
(eastern region).

Preparation and implementation strategy: Stakeholder consultation was an integral part of the
formulation of the NAPA, and the NAPA team was composed of a multidisciplinary group of experts. Six
sectoral working groups were formed to analyse the vulnerability of the natural, economic and social
systems, and meetings between these working groups and different sectoral agencies, departments,
project authorities and donors were held to assess possibilities of integration into sectoral policies
and plans.

Due to the country specificities, while ranking the priority activities, preference was given to
activities that promote the safety and security of life and livelihoods, the active participation of
local communities and risk reduction from natural hazards. The final NAPA text incorporated comments
and suggestions made during a national consultation workshop and contained a profile of 15 potential
projects demonstrating integration into national policy frameworks and programmes.

Institutional arrangements in the country: Based on its experience in
preparing the NAPA, Bangladesh has also taken steps to establish a national framework to
address climate change issues in the country. Bangladesh set up a Climate Change Unit under the
Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), and developed the Bangladesh Climate Change
Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) in 2008, which was revised in 2009.

The Government of Bangladesh also created a Climate Change Trust Fund (CCTF) in 2009. The CCTF
has approved 43 government projects for implementation, and a total of USD 70 million has been
allocated to these projects. CCTF has also approved around 32 projects of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). A total of USD 3.5 million has been allocated to these projects, and a
number of other government and NGO projects are in the process of being considered.

In addition to CCTF, the country has also established a Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience
Fund (BCCRF) with support from development partners. BCCRF will be managed and implemented by
the Government and technical assistance will be provided by the World Bank. Development
partners have already pledged USD 113.5 million to this fund.

The Government of Bangladesh is also working on setting up a Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) for
receiving and disbursing adaptation funds.

Experience with project implementation: Bangladesh has extensive experience in
involving local communities in forest protection and regeneration, and its first NAPA project
draws on that experience. In addition, the project will be linked with regional and national
programmes, such as the UNDP/Department for International Development (DFID) Comprehensive
Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) and UNDP programmes such as the Coastal and Wetland
Biodiversity Management Project and the Empowerment of Coastal Fishing Communities for
Livelihood Security.

Revision and update: Bangladesh updated its NAPA in 2009, incorporating the findings of studies on
impacts and vulnerabilities, and an adaptation needs assessment carried out over the last few years.
The six working groups that participated in the preparation of the original NAPA were engaged in this
review. The revised NAPA has also been printed in the local language by MoEF and the Forum of
Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB).

Bangladesh’s experience shows that the NAPA process can be useful for
establishing institutional arrangements to address climate change issues in the
country.